The Quest for Political Stability; Ming Dynasty (723-727)

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Chapter 27 - Tradition and Change in East Asia


Ming Government
Ming_dynasty_map.jpg
  • The Ming dynasty (1368-1644) restored native rule over China after the collapse of the Yuan dynasty.
  • Ming means "brilliant" TK
  • Ming emperors commanded powerful armies BH
  • Hongwu (1368-1398) was the founder of the Ming dynasty, who drove the Mongols out of China and founded a tightly centralized government TK
  • Hongwu trusted eunuchs because of lack of ability to have a family RB
  • Emperor Yongle (1403-1424) used a series of naval expeditions which sailed through the Indian Ocean basin and spread Chinese influence all the way to Malindi in east Africa. TK
  • Set out to eradicate Mongols to create a stable society BH
  • government sponsored study of confucianism BH
  • Ming emperors were determined to prevent new invasions TK
  • Yongle moved the capital of China from Nanjing in the south to Beijing so that they could watch the Mongols more closely in 1421 TK
  • Some early Ming emperors controlled powerful armies that helped control the Mongols military TK
  • Mongols massacred Chinese armies in the 1440s and in 1449 captured the Ming emperor TK

Technology and Pre-Ming

  • Chiming clocks new to China from Portugese merchants BH
  • China was the dominant power in East Asia, making it an economic powerhouse as well BH
  • Tokugawa shoguns unified Japanese islands which laid a foundation for economic growth. BH

The Great Wall
  • The Great Wall was built along the nothern border TK
  • The Great Wall was a Ming-dynasty project RB
  • The Great Wall was made of stone and brick RB
  • The Great Wall ran some 1550 miles along the border and was 33 to 49 feet high TK
  • It featured watch towers, signal towers, and accomomodations for troops stationed on the Great Wall TK

great-wall-of-china.jpg









Ming Decline
  • Ming rule didn't survive beyond the mid sixteenth century because problems started to weaken the dynasty TK
  • Pirates and smugglers operated almost at will along the east coast of China between the 1520s and 1560s TK
  • Since the emperor Wanli(1572-1620) refused to meet with government officials he used eunuchs as intermediaries TK
  • Powerful eunuchs used the influence over the Ming emperors so that they could lead lives of luxury by taking from the government TK
  • Inefficiency and corruption spread through out the government because this influence increased and this weakened the Ming state. TK
Ming Collapse
  • A series of famines struck China during the early seventeenth century RB
  • The government was unable to organize effective relief efforts RB
  • During the 1630's, peasants revolted RB
  • City by city withdrew its loyalty from the Ming RB
  • Rebel forces captured the Ming capital in Beijing RB
  • Manchus saved the capital yet neglected to restore Ming rule RB